Honda

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has voted the new 2008 Honda Accord sedan as the “Best New Family Car” in the 26th annual AJAC Canadian Car of the Year competition. Winners will be announced on February 13 at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

In the event, the Honda Accord EX Sedan competed against five other rival products in the Family Car category. The 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, powered with V6 engine that comes with 6-speed manual transmission, on the other hand, competed against two other finalists in the “Best New Sports/Performance Car Under $50,000” category.

The 2008 Honda Accord will be available in sedan and coupe body styles. There will be two variations of a 2.4 L 4-cylinder engine and two iterations of the 3.5 L V-6 engines. With manual transmission, the two L4 engines will produce 177 and 190 horsepower, respectively. They have estimated city/highway fuel economy rating of 9.4/6.4 L/100km. On the other hand, the 3.5 L i-VTEC V-6 engine will produce 268 horsepower. This other engine comes with a new generation of fuel-saving advanced Variable Cylinder Management (TM) (VCM) technology, which will be operating in six-cylinder mode for power in and 4- and 3-cylinder modes for efficiency. Thus, the vehicle will be an estimated city/highway fuel economy rating of 11.0/6.7 L/100 km.

Since Honda intends to provide comprehensive approach for vehicle safety, every 2008 Accord will be integrated with sophisticated safety technology. It includes driver’s and front passenger’s dual-chamber side airbags; side curtain airbags; dual-stage, dual-threshold driver’s and front passenger’s airbags; and active head restraints designed to reduce neck injuries in the event of a rear collision. Standard active safety features will include the VSA and four-wheel-disc anti-lock brake system with brake assist and electronic brake distribution.

The 2008 Accord will be equipped with an Advanced Capability Engineering (TM) (ACE) body structure to enhance frontal collision compatibility with vehicles of varying sizes and bumper heights.

Honda Motor Company Ltd., a Japanese automotive manufacturer, has been supplying a wide range of dependable vehicles, motorcycles, power equipment and marine engines to Canadian customers. It has 130 manufacturing facilities in 29 countries around the worlds. Each year, it attracts over 20 million customers. At its two assembly plants in Alliston, Ontoria, Honda Canada is manufacturing the Honda Ridgeline and Civic, and the Acura MDX and CSX.

Called the FCX Clarity, this fuel efficient and green Honda model comes with zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered fuel cell powertrain based on the new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform. Honda also announced that limited models of the FCX Clarity will roll out in U.S. markets in the summer of next year.

“The FCX Clarity is a shining symbol of the progress we’ve made with fuel cell vehicles and of our belief in the promise of this technology. Step by step, with continuous effort, commitment and focus, we are working to overcome obstacles to the mass-market potential of zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell automobiles.” said Tetsuo Iwamura, American Honda president and CEO.

The hydrogen powertrain components of the new Honda FCX Clarity include a new V Flow platform package. This also includes an ultra-compact lightweight and powerful Honda V Flow fuel cell stack that is 65 percent smaller than the previous Honda FC stack. The new fuel stack is located at center tunnel of the vehicle between the two front seats. Equipped with hydrogen fuel, the V Flow fuel cell stack can produce a power output of 100 kW, much powerful than the previous FC stack. This new fuel cell stack is also 50 percent more output density by volume and 67 percent output density by mass.

The Honda FCX Clarity also combines this V Flow fuel cell stack with a new compact and efficient lithium ion battery pack. In addition, the powertrain components also include a single hydrogen storage tank. These three components are the main sources that provides power the car’s electric drive motor. The Honda FCX Clarity is also capable of regenerative braking, which allows the lithium ion battery pack to be recharged to supply additional power to the fuel cell. Overall, the fuel cell powertrain of the Honda FCX Clarity offers a bunch of enhancements compared to the previous FCX model. This include 20 percent increase in fuel economy, 30-percent increase in range, 25 percent improvement in power-to-weight ratio, and 45 percent reduction in the size of the fuel cell powertrain.

The Honda FCX Clarity also comes with a sleek exterior styling with 4-door configuration. Inside, the FCX Clarity is equipped with seat upholstery and door linings made from Honda Bio-Fabric. Other highlights of the Honda FCX Clarity include a navigation system with hydrogen station locations, backup camera, premium audio, climate controlled seats, Bluetooth connectivity, shift-by-wire, and electric power steering (EPS). Watch out for this model in 2008.

I’m browsing through the net and I happened to found this interesting topic.

Cars.com, one of the most trusted websites that offer automotive pricing and other information provide consumers some info about the vehicle models that are “wallet-friendly”. Why wallet friendly? Well, it is because these car models costs less than or bigger than $10,000.

Patrick Olsen, managing editor of Cars.com said:

“Whether it’s a thrifty ride for a college student, a grocery-getter for the family or something for the daily commute, lots of shoppers seem to want the same thing: a late-model, low-mileage car that’s reliable, safe and fuel-efficient.”

Top 10 best inexpensive used cars according to Cars.com.

2005 Ford Focus ($10,500 – $13,000)

“The restyled 2005 Ford Focus offers nimble handling with few of the equipment recalls that beset the early-2000s original. “

2003 Ford Taurus ($10,500 – $12,000)

“The Ford Taurus is a sound used-car choice for families and sensible for young drivers. Both the wagon and sedan offer generous cabin and luggage space, not to mention top reliability and crash-test scores.”